unfortunate woman in question was a Mrs. Capel, a passenger by the brig 'Britannia,' which left Port Philip for Sydney, on 4th November, 1839, in ballast, with Messrs. Bowerman, Snowdon, Browning, M'Lean, and Watt. Mrs. Capel, a native of Ireland, arrived (1837) at Sydney, in an emigrant ship. Towards the end of 1838 she came to Port Phillip, and in a few months married Mr. T. Capel, a brewer. The husband soon after disposed of his business, and accepted an engagement to manage an extensive brewery in Sydney, whither he went, the wife remaining in Melbourne until she should hear from him. Capel soon settled down satisfactorily in his new berth, and, writing for his wife, she departed in the 'Britannia' to rejoin him. The ship went to pieces early on its journey, and portions of the wreck were subsequently found along what is known as Ninety Mile Beach. The Government despatched the revenue-cutter 'Ranger' to search about the place, and found the long boat of the 'Britannia' ashore on the Long Beach, with her sail set, and a black silk neckerchief on a thwart. Several footmarks were perceptible on the sands, which, added to other appearances, led to a supposition that the boat had been beached, its inmates had landed, and from the direction taken by the tracks it was believed that they endeavoured to make overland towards Twofold Bay. It was further supposed that all the males had been either murdered by the natives, or died from hunger on their journey, more probably the former, for several of the blacks were afterwards seen attired in fragments of European clothing. The presence of the woman was first discovered by a stockman in quest of stray cattle, who, falling in with a party of Aborigines some distance back from the Ninety Mile Beach, was astonished by the appearance of a white child amongst them, and in answer to enquiries he was told it belonged to a white woman who was detained by the chief of the tribe. Mrs. Capel was enceinte when she left Melbourne, and the apparent age of the child so corresponded with this circumstance, as to justify the conclusion that it was her's."
In a short time there was a strong conviction amongst the Melbournians, that instead of one there were two white women captives, and the public anxiety was so exercised, and a desire to make some effort to rescue the miserable creatures grew so strong, that a requisition was presented to the Mayor (Dr. J. F. Palmer) to convene a public meeting to adopt measures to ascertain how far the rumours were reliable. T h e Mayor complied, and the meeting was held at the Royal Hotel, in Collins Street, on the 2nd September, 1846, when, though not numerous, the attendance was an influential one. Amongst the speakers were Messrs. John Stephen, D. Baird, J. A. Marsden, Robert Robinson, Wm. Kerr, Wm. Westgarth, Geo. Cavenagh, P. Davis, and Dr. Greeves. The last-named (one of the best-informed en of the time), who had evidently been well posted in all the data in connection with the subject, made a statement from which are taken the following facts:— At an early period of the settlement of Port Phillip, five vessels, viz., the "Australia," "Britannia," "Brittomart," "Sarah," and "Yarra," trading between Melbourne, Sydney, and Van Diemen's Land, were lost, as nothing had been ever heard of them. In most, if not all of them, there were female passengers, and it had been stated by persons of veracity that a white woman had been seen amongst an Aboriginal tribe in Gippsland. There was living on the station of a Gippsland settler, a civilized black boy, who had described this poor creature (also several children she had probably borne to a native chief, by whom she was detained); and even pointed out the spot where, when younger, he had played with the little half-castes. A white female name had been found carved on a tree in a place to which no white man had previously penetrated, and the name was that of a female passenger by one of the missing vessels. This had been found out only after the discovery of the carved name, and the institution of enquiries in Melbourne. She was never permitted to come near any white persons, and whenever observed by any bushmen, it was noticed that the black with whom she was supposed to be, always kept her in advance, as if to intercept any attempted rescue. If anything were to be done, it should be marked by secrecy and despatch; and there were in Melbourne six persons ready as volunteers to risk their lives as a rescue party, but they would not do so for pay. Resolutions were passed condemnatory of the apathy of the Government in the matter, and initiating a subscription to equip an expedition.
The Chairman, in his opening remarks, committed one of those mistakes which, as a public man, more than once brought him into trouble. He threw out a suggestion that, possibly the white woman had formed ties with the blacks which she might be unwilling to dissever—an intimation
